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Post by workdrone on Oct 17, 2008 3:09:28 GMT -5
In reading old posts, I see that most people say the WD will be over by 1:00 p.m. I am wondering if the WD was scheduled for the same start time in the past. I am scheduled for the exam to start at 10:00 a.m. I am just wondering if that was the start time in the past, because some people in the forum are saying that no one is line at security when they got there. I also have been relying on the 1:00 p.m. time previously posted, and want to make sure I time the WD and am able to make my flight. Thanks. If I remember correctly, the WD was around 5 hours with some additional OPM paperwork that need to be filled out afterward. So if your starting time is at 10 am, I would plan on leaving the building no earlier than 3:30 pm, unless you don't plan on using all the time OPM is giving you for the exam. Add in the time you're going to spend going back to your hotel and pick up your luggage, and getting to the airport and through security, I would recommend a 5:30 pm flight at the earliest. Good luck! |
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aljy
New Member
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Post by aljy on Oct 17, 2008 9:22:53 GMT -5
I took the WD some years ago. Much to my surprise I did very well on it. In my WD we were given the materials (statutes, some made-up legal precedent, and a lot of facts) and told we were the judge, and write a decision.
My, somewhat contrarian advice is that in preparation grab the F2d or F3d and read some appellate decisions or some summary judgment decisions. That is, essentially what we were asked to do, set out important facts, law, draw conclusions etc.
What we were not asked to do is a classic administrative law decision which, by virtue of the way review works, is heavily fact laden with every conceivable fact. They don't want that. And you should absolutely ignore SSA alj decisions. They are way too jargon filled, filled with medical considerations, to be of use to you.
This is more like law school. You want to write a well written, concise, clear model decision that mentions the important facts, spots the issues, and resolves them in a logical manner. There is no "right" or "wrong" answers. Its writing plus reasoning they are after.
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Post by counselor95 on Oct 18, 2008 17:18:25 GMT -5
In reading old posts, I see that most people say the WD will be over by 1:00 p.m. I am wondering if the WD was scheduled for the same start time in the past. I am scheduled for the exam to start at 10:00 a.m. I am just wondering if that was the start time in the past, because some people in the forum are saying that no one is line at security when they got there. I also have been relying on the 1:00 p.m. time previously posted, and want to make sure I time the WD and am able to make my flight. Thanks. The WD last year started at 9am, and the writing part was 4 hours, with some time spent prior on instructions and some time after spent handing in the exams. On the day I took the WD, no one was able to leave until about 1:15pm and some were there 15-30 minutes longer. |
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Post by lawcat on Oct 18, 2008 18:23:33 GMT -5
Could anyone who stayed at the State Plaza tell me if you were able to check out before the exam and leave your luggage at the hotel until after the exam? Or was there a place at the exam site where you could store luggage? Also, I'm assuming you can't take a purse into the testing area, will they let you take anything in at all except for ID and pencils? Thanks!
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Post by zarco522 on Oct 18, 2008 19:26:23 GMT -5
More questions --
I understand form this site that there will be a regular keyboard and mouse.
Are the written materials, the questions, provided in printed form or do we read them on-line/on screen?
If on-line, can we print them out?
If written, can we write on them -- make notes, highlight, etc.?
May we bring a blank yellow pad for notes, thoughts?
Surely we will be allowed a pen?
Thanks!
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Post by morgullord on Oct 18, 2008 23:36:57 GMT -5
I was able to check out of the State Plaza and leave my luggage there until after the exam. The staff there are exellent.
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Post by flannery on Oct 20, 2008 6:42:00 GMT -5
The writing test begins today. Good luck to all. If you are flying, be safe. If you get flustered during the exam, take a deep breath--breathe in, breathe out. Just tell yourself it's amazing that we've come this far, as mysterious as this whole process has been...
Flannery
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Post by workdrone on Oct 20, 2008 6:56:35 GMT -5
The writing test begins today. Good luck to all. If you are flying, be safe. If you get flustered during the exam, take a deep breath--breathe in, breathe out. Just tell yourself it's amazing that we've come this far, as mysterious as this whole process has been... Flannery Yup. Here begins another cycle. Enjoy the ride and pat yourself on the back for how far you got. Relax and take a deep breath, it's nowhere near the stress level of the bar exam most of us had to take years ago. ;D |
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Post by zero on Oct 20, 2008 13:58:50 GMT -5
The writing test begins today. Good luck to all. If you are flying, be safe. If you get flustered during the exam, take a deep breath--breathe in, breathe out. Just tell yourself it's amazing that we've come this far, as mysterious as this whole process has been... Flannery Good luck flan! |
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Post by blackswan on Oct 28, 2008 10:37:23 GMT -5
If an SI is scheduled for 10 am, does that mean that it will be held at 10 am and last for an hour, or does it mean that five other people are also scheduled at 10 am and your time of taking leave is uncertain?
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Post by southerner on Oct 28, 2008 11:06:13 GMT -5
There will be more than set of interviewers for each time scheduled. The only issue would be whether one of you panel's interviewers know you and the panel would have to be changed, which still would not be problematic for time issues.
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Post by nonamouse on Oct 28, 2008 11:06:25 GMT -5
They have panels for the SI set up in different rooms running at the same time. When you arrive, you must get through security and wait in the lobby for someone to escort you to the upstairs holding area. You complete some forms and then are called back to whichever room you will be in for the SI. I would not cut it close with scheduling a flight home because you will have no control over the panel staying on schedule with applicants prior to your appointment time.
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Post by workdrone on Oct 28, 2008 12:47:37 GMT -5
If an SI is scheduled for 10 am, does that mean that it will be held at 10 am and last for an hour, or does it mean that five other people are also scheduled at 10 am and your time of taking leave is uncertain? The rule of thumb I would use for planning flights after SI is no earlier than 2 hours after the schedule end of your SI. So if your SI is from 9:30 am - 10:30 am, I wouldn't schedule any flights out of Reagan Airport earlier than 12:30 pm. Good luck! |
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Post by blackswan on Oct 28, 2008 23:48:49 GMT -5
Thanks, everyone!
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Post by judicature on Oct 28, 2008 23:52:25 GMT -5
When I had my SI, they were running 45 minutes behind. . . .
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